Professor Nicky Ali Jackson recognized in statewide Champion of Diversity awards

Nicky Ali Jackson, professor of Criminal Justice and Executive Director of the Center for Justice and Post-Exoneration Assistance (CJPA), is named as the 2023 honoree for the Visionary Impact Award by Indiana Minority Business Magazine and Minority Business Review.

Jackson’s award is one of 20 people and entities that will be recognized in the 17th annual Champions of Diversity Awards ceremony. The awards and recognition dinner recognizes individuals, companies and organizations that have exhibited a high level of commitment to diversity in Indiana.

Jackson’s selection as recipient of the Visionary Impact Award reflects her “tireless efforts to advocate against wrongful convictions and the need for criminal justice reform in Indiana and beyond,” the nominating committee said.

“Accepting this Visionary Impact Award is not just a personal achievement, but a testament to the countless individuals who have been wrongly convicted and have suffered through unimaginable injustices,” Jackson said. “This award represents the collective effort to bring truth, justice and redemption to those who have been denied their fundamental rights.  I humbly accept this honor on behalf of every innocent person who has ever been unjustly imprisoned, and commit myself to continue the fight for a fair and equitable criminal justice system for all.”

Jackson has served as a longtime scholar in domestic violence, sexual assault, victimology, wrongful convictions, juvenile delinquency, school violence, criminology, minority issues in criminal justice and law enforcement. As Executive Director of CJPA, Jackson and Timmy Donald, project manager, aim to identify and eradicate miscarriages of justice and to provide support to those who have suffered from a wrongful conviction.

Jackson and other Champions of Diversity honorees will be formally recognized and celebrated in January 2024 during an awards dinner with over 1,000 attendees in Indianapolis, Indiana.